Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Chicken Parmesan Bundles

This was a BIG hit. My husband told me how delicious it was even before I had tasted it. And usually with new recipes I have to ask him how he likes it. My kids ate it up too. I forgot the spaghetti sauce and it still tasted great. The cheese filling helped keep it moist. And I only used 2 chicken breasts, halved, since my family doesn't eat huge servings, so I eye-balled the amount of spinach and moz. to make just enough cheese filling for our chicken. And my kids didn't say anything about the "green stuff" in the filling. ;-) I served it with steamed broccoli and cauliflower and brussel sprouts and with a fruit salad. We didn't need any rice or potatoes with all the fruits and potatoes. Delicious!

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1-1/4 cups KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided
6 Tbsp. KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 egg
10 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup) or bread crumbs
1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, heated


PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Mix cream cheese, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 3 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese until well blended; spread evenly onto chicken breasts. Starting at one of the short ends of each breast, roll up chicken tightly. Secure with wooden toothpicks, if desired. Set aside.

BEAT egg in shallow bowl or pie plate. Mix remaining 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese and the cracker crumbs in separate shallow bowl or pie plate. Dip chicken bundles in egg, then roll in crumb mixture. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.


BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF). Remove and discard toothpicks, if using. Serve topped with the spaghetti sauce and remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.

Bacon, Cheese and Potato Chowder

Supper fast and easy! Why didn't I think of this soup before? The hashbrowns saves time instead of chopping potatoes. Serves 4. Easy to double for larger family or leftovers. Even my baby likes it. Yummy!


3 cups fat-free milk
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of potato soup
1 can corn
2 cups frozen Southern-style hash browns (the squares)
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 slices Bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

MIX milk and soup in large saucepan. Stir in hash browns. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 min., stirring frequently.

LADLE into six soup bowls.

TOP evenly with the cheese, bacon and onions.

I served this with sourdough baguettes that had been toasted and with a side salad.